Magnolia Grandiflora Varieties

Parent Species

• The Southern magnolia grows native from far eastern North Carolina southward into central Florida. Its distribution includes the southern halves of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi as well as most of Louisiana and parts of eastern Texas. Magnolia grandiflora grows to 80 feet, featuring evergreen foliage. New leaves replace the old ones in spring, keeping the tree constantly green. The fragrant flowers are exceptionally ornamental, resembling 12-inch wide white saucers and blooming during spring and periodically through the summer. The flowers yield elongated seedpods encasing the red seeds.

Cultivars and Size

• Edith Bogue is a well-known cultivar of Magnolia grandiflora, growing to 60 feet high with a canopy 30 feet across. Little Gem is considerably smaller, developing between 15 to 20 feet tall and as much as 10 feet wide. Bracken’s Brown Beauty is another cultivar smaller than the parent species, with a full-grown specimen topping out between 20 and 30 feet tall and 15 to 25 feet wide. The flowers of two of these southern magnolia cultivars are not as large, with Bracken’s Brown Beauty’s flowers being 4 to 6 inches across and those of Little Gem are 4 inches wide. Edith Bogue’s flowers match the parent species in size, being a foot wide.

Cold-Hardiness

• Of the varieties of Magnolia grandiflora, Bracken’s Brown Beauty is by far the type with the most tolerance for cold. It will grow in the warmer sections of USDA zone 5, notes the Missouri Botanical Garden. Despite having cold hardiness, it is prudent to place it where winter winds cannot directly blow upon it. During a particularly tough winter, the tree might lose its leaves. Edith Bogue grows from USDA zone 6 to 9; protect it from the wind as well in zone 6. Little Gem and the parent species are appropriate specimen plants for zones 7 through 9.

Growing Conditions

• Magnolia grandiflora and its cultivars prefer a rich, organic loam that drains well. These trees do not tolerate extremes of moisture, with sites that are too dry or too wet inappropriate for the species. Urban pollutants adversely affect Magnolia grandiflora. The larger varieties and the parent species require enough room to spread out. The tree handles full sun and partly shady locations, although the best light conditions are perhaps those sites featuring partial shade.